Choice
by Little Miss Jigsaw
Summary: set after AWE. A certain woman has a choice to make. Does she return to Port Royal with Will, and forever remain Elizabeth Swann, trapped in a gilded cage, or does she stay aboard the Pearl and fully become Lizzie the Swan... Lizzie the Pirate? please R


well, since canceling my Buffy fic, I was able to relieve my mind of the stress that not being able to get past writer's block on it, and write this... Bear in mind that this is my first ever Pirates fic (though on another site I actually got a Willabeth shipper to praise it!) I hope you enjoy it.

Choice

How had it come to this? To this one choice that should have been so simple. She was no longer Elizabeth Swann, of Port Royal... No. She was Lizzie the Swan, of the Black Pearl. Choices like this should have been easy. But when it came down to it. It just wasn't as easy as she'd thought it would be. She had battle cursed undead pirates, faced a kracken, and Davey Jones himself. She had killed a man she cared for, and had even brought him back from the dead by sailing to World's End. She had helped to defeat an army determined to wipe pirates from the face of the earth...She had even watched the man she'd once thought was her "true love" become obsessed with destroying Davey Jones... So much so that he almost drove himself to madness.

And now she had to choose. Choose between a pirate who had fascinated her from the day she met him, and the man she'd known since she was a child. It was decision she would have to make soon. They would be arriving at Port Royal by morning. If it weren't for Will wishing to return as soon as possible, and to stay firmly on land, she would have had more time. Not that she needed it. She already knew what her choice was... But it would result in at least one broken heart.

To make matters worse, neither Will nor Jack were aware of her inner turmoil. Oh sure, both noticed that "their" Lizzie (or in Will's case, Elizabeth) was upset about something. Jack avoided asking. Lizzie had the impression that he knew exactly what was wrong. Will on the other hand, asked, and was rather frustrated when she refused to answer him. In fact, Will had spent most of their voyage to Port Royal frustrated. And on the subject of Jack he was especially touchy. He would twitch when anyone would call Elizabeth "Lizzie" since he knew whom had started that nickname, and he took every opportunity to make sure and interrupt any conversation Jack and Lizzie had, if they happened to be alone. Lizzie could tell he was afraid of what might happen were her thoughts allowed to dwell on their roguish captain.

Right then, she was staring out over the ocean, enjoying the way the full moon reflected off the water. Thinking. Yes. She knew what her decision would be, but it was a matter of admitting it to herself... And, to find out if it was even in her best interests to go ahead with it.

"Troubles, Miss Swann?" said a whispery voice behind her. Lizzie didn't even twitch. She'd known he was there. She'd gotten good at knowing when someone was around.

"Please, Mr. Turner," she said, not looking up at Will's father, "It's Lizzie... Or if you must, Elizabeth." Strange to think she'd once detested Jack's nickname for her. Now she found herself preferring it.

"Very well then, Lizzie. But ye'll have to stop with the 'Mr. Turner'." Bootstrap said with a chuckle, moving beside her. '_He's the spittin' image o' Bootstrap Bill, come back t' 'aunt us!'_ Lizzie had heard Ragetti say once. And he was right. Now that Bill wasn't covered in various sea life, it was easy to see the resemblance between father and son.

"Alright then, Bill," Lizzie replied, with a smile. She had found, since the defeat of Davey Jones and the rescue of the man next to her, that she rather liked him. Maybe it was simply because she was drawn to pirates. They stood there in silence for the longest time, before Bill spoke again, "Ye've seemed troubled since the day we set out for Port Royal, Elizabeth."

"Will put you up to this?"

Bill scoffed, "Boy's too proud to admit any troubles with ye, to me. Though from him muttering to himself, and what I've heard from the crew, couple months ago, he saw ye with Jack..."

"I've tried explaining that to him over and over again," Lizzie sighed, "But it has about the same effectiveness as talking to a stone wall."

"Maybe if ye actually believed yer own explanation, he would too," Bill said, quietly. At Lizzie's questioning look, he smiled slightly, "The whole crew's seen the way ye look at the captain, Lass. William included."

Lizzie felt herself blush. She could have sworn she stopped herself letting her gaze follow Jack when he was around. "I've no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not daft, like Jack, girl. And I love my son, but I know how strong the pull of freedom, and life at sea is. Usually that gets in the way of love, but in yer case, ye've got a chance, Elizabeth."

Lizzie sighed, and for a moment she was Elizabeth Swann, the Governor's daughter, again, "I was to marry Will, when we returned to Port Royal... And I love him, I do..."

"But he isn't what ye want most?" Bill prodded, "Isn't who ye love most?"

Lizzie bit her lip. She'd already made up her mind, why should admitting to it be difficult? She had proven herself a pirate again and again..."Is it wrong of me to say no?"

"Not at all. The biggest mistake ye can make in life is to not listen to yer heart, simply for the sake of being proper, or worrying about society's views of right and wrong," and oddly enough, even though Bill knew this conversation was heading to the heart-break of his son, he found himself truly wishing this girl happiness. Maybe it was because he'd tried to give up what he loved most, and had ended up hurting Will, when he found that it had been a mistake and had gone back to the sea.

That was the way things would head if Elizabeth went back to land and stayed there.

"But what of Jack? After all, he's not exactly the 'fall-in-love' type. Free spirit and all that. "

There was a laugh from near by, "I tol' Jack dat he was loathe to claim what him really want for him own." Tia Dalma. Her island was the next stop, after Port Royal. "Him head be sayin' to do one ting, him heart, anodder. " Tia moved out of the shadows. She truly was a beautiful woman, once you got past the dredlocked hair, and black teeth.

Bill took that as his sign to leave, and bade both women a good night, and returned below deck. "Tia," said Lizzie, with a nod, once Bill was gone. She wasn't sure if she liked Tia or not. The woman's way of speaking in riddles made it hard to like her, but her good nature made it hard not to.

"Ye be confused 'bout yerself, an' yer feelins fer Jack and William, do ye not?" Tia asked, her long nails tapping on the railing.

Lizzie saw no reason to argue. If it was that obvious, there was no point. But she didn't say yes either.

"What are ye willin' to do fer de man ye love, Elizabeth Swann? Ye willin' to break anodder man's heart?"

"Haven't we already had this talk, about bringing Jack back?" Lizzie snapped, not wanting to admit that yes, she was.

Too bad Tia was not so easily fooled, "Ahhh, so yer min' be made up, den. But ye be afraid of what Jack feels. Ye've sailed to de ends o' de eart' to fetch him back, an' he holds no grudge for what ye did, an' still ye doubt him... Tell me, chil', have ye ever asked Jack where him compass points?"

The answer was of course, no. Lizzie had never thought to ask. And the part of her that was still Elizabeth was afraid to know the answer. "Will assumes I'm getting off with him tomorrow... I wonder if it has ever occurred to him that I would want to stay. He's never thought to ask..." after a pause she said, "Tia, where does the compass point for Jack?"

"That be for Jack to answer, _Lizzie_," Tia replied. It was the first time she'd used the woman's pirate name. "Ye shoul' ask him... Him often come out here, about now, when him can't sleep." With that, Tia left Lizzie, feeling more confused than she had been before. She didn't wait around to see if Tia Dalma was right about Jack. Instead, Elizabeth took over, and fled to her cabin.

---------------

The next morning was completely horrid. They had reached Port Royal. Pintel and Raghetti were waiting for her and Will to climb down into the longboat so they could be taken to shore. Jack wasn't risking the Pearl, by getting to close to the Navy ships. Will was saying good bye to the few of the pirates he considered friends. Before he came to say his goodbye to his father, Bootstrap Bill pulled Lizzie, whom right then was masquerading as Elizabeth, in as proper a dress as could be found on a pirate ship. (a burgundy dress with a black bodice, that, other than being a bit too low cut, wasn't too bad), aside, and muttered in her ear, "The pain will only be greater if ye wait," then he put a smile on his face, and said a goodbye to her, loud enough for Will to hear.

As Will went to speak to his father, Lizzie's eyes searched for Jack, whilst Elizabeth told her that she should just go ashore, and not even entertain such a thought as staying. But she had made up her mind... However, before she went through with it, she had to know.

"Elizabeth!" Will called, from the longboat. Lizzie found herself hating the sound of that name. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Will's head pop up over the edge of the ship, looking at her, in such a way that clearly said to hurry.

But Lizzie ignored him, despite the protests of Elizabeth, and went up to the helm, where she spied Jack, staring off into space, with a most peculiar expression. She didn't even give him time to register that she was there before she strode up to him, and snatched the compass off of his belt.

"Oi!-" he started, but Lizzie held up a hand to silence him.

With a deep breath, Lizzie opened the compass. It spun wildly for a moment, and began to slow down. It wavered back and forth for a few seconds before it came to a dead halt. Already knowing what she was going to see, her eyes followed the path that the compass was showing her, and found herself staring right into the dark, chocolate, kohl-lined eyes of Captain Jack Sparrow. With that settled, she grabbed his hands and forced the compass into them. Like it had with her, it spun madly for a moment then came to a sudden stop. Jack tried to close the trinket, but Lizzie stopped him. She peered around the lid to see what it was pointing to. Getting her answer, she took in a deep, shuddering breath, and her eyes glazed over.

"Lizzie, I-" but for the second time, Lizzie cut him off.

"No need to explain, Jack," she said with the smallest of smiles. Yes her decision was made. Taking in a another shaky breath, she headed back on deck.

"Ye can do it, chil'," Tia breathed from the shadows.

Lizzie nodded, and approached Will, who was now back on deck, waiting impatiently for her. She strode up to him, head held high, looking every bit her station, grabbed the front of his shirt firmly, and kissed him. When she broke away from him, she stepped back a bit, and smiled, somewhat sadly.

"What was that?" Will asked, suspiciously. And he had every right to be.

"Goodbye, William," Lizzie replied, shoving the voice of Elizabeth out of her mind. That wasn't who she was anymore. And she knew that if anything, Will was in love with Elizabeth Swann, the Governor's daughter. Not Lizzie the Swan, former Captain of The Empress, and, if she had a say in it, First Mate on the Black Pearl.

Will blinked, obviously confused, "Goodbye, Elizabeth, you're coming with me, remember?"

"No... Elizabeth was going with you," Lizzie responded, firmly, willing herself not to break down at the thought of what was to come. She couldn't let him think there was a doubt in her mind, otherwise he would simply try and convince her to go with him. "I'm not her anymore."

Will sighed, and suddenly became very interested in his boots. "Jack?" it was one word, yet it held more than one question in it. As if on cue, Jack appeared, looking completely baffled by this turn of events. Clearly he had been expecting Lizzie to take off, as fast as she could, after seeing the compass...

"Aye," Lizzie admitted, noting, and smirking at the way the Captain's head suddenly snapped up and swiveled in her direction. "Jack... I'm a pirate, Will. If I return with you, then I would only be denying myself what truly makes me happy... I spent too long, living by society's rules, and expectations. In fact, I rather think the day I fell off that tower, and almost died because of that corset is a good sum-up of my life. I was trapped, and unable to breathe... But then someone cut the strings, and freed me. It's time I act on selfish impulse, for no other reason than that I want to," she stopped and let her words sink in, as Will continued to stare at his feet. After a moment she added softly, "And because it's what makes me happy... And it's for the best. For both of us."

"Far be it from me," Will said after a long pause, finally looking up to meet her eyes, "To deny the woman I love the happiness that she deserves." He bowed to her, masking the sadness in his eyes with a smile that was surprisingly not forced, "Goodbye... Lizzie." Will turned towards Jack, "You hurt her and so help me, I will hunt you down, and make what you endured in Davey Jones' locker seem like a pleasant fairy tale."

Without waiting for Jack's reply, he turned, and climbed down into the longboat where Pintel had fallen asleep. Ragetti poked his sleeping partner, and was rewarded with Pintel swinging his arms madly about, and whacking Ragetti right in the face, causing his eye to pop out and fall into the water.

"Me eye!" the pirate cried and leaned over the edge of the boat to grab the floating wooden ball.

"Tol' ye, ye shoulda bought a glass eye, one what fits properly an' don' fall out." Pintel muttered.

Laughing, Lizzie leaned over the edge of the Pearl, as Ragetti caught his runaway eye, and stuck it back in. "Pintel, Ragetti! Please escort Mr. Turner to land. I won't be joining you."

"Aye, Miss Swann," Pintel nodded, and he and his friend began to row.

Lizzie watched as they rowed away, and felt Jack approach her from behind. She turned to look at him, and couldn't help but chuckle at his look of utter puzzlement. "Does your compass ever lie, Jack?"

Jack shrugged, "Never led me wrong, love," he answered. "Do ye think it's led ye astray?"

Lizzie shook her head. "I knew before I looked at the compass what my choice was... I just had to be sure... about both of us." With that, she pulled him down to her, and crushed her lips against his in a kiss that made up for all the missed oppurtune moments, and pent up feelings. After a moment, Jack's arms snaked around her waist, and there were wolf-whistles from many of the crew, as well a few mutters.

"Elizabeth!" Lizzie heard Will shout to her, and she reluctantly pulled her lips away from Jack's. She turned to face her former fiance, though she remained in the circle of her pirate's arms.

"Aye?"

"What am I supposed to tell your father!"

She hadn't thought of that one. With a glance at Jack she smirked, "Tell him the truth!" she yelled to Will, "I fell in love!"

And with a final wave, Lizzie watched the last piece of her old life fade away into the distance. The last remnants of Elizabeth Swann were gone, and she was simply Lizzie. With a smile up at Jack, and another, quick kiss, she felt truly free. So life with Jack on the Pearl might be difficult, and there would be times she'd wish he'd have stayed dead, she was sure... But in the end, she was certain she had made the right decision.

She and Jack made their way up to the help, and leaning on the wheel, like Jack often did, Lizzie began to hum a tune tha Jack Sparrow knew all too well. "And really bad eggs," she sang quietly, and smiled as the man she loved joined in, "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!"

And with that familiar note, the Sparrow and his Swan sailed away from the laws and boundries, and cages of society, and stared off to the horizon, neither knowing what lay ahead, and neither caring.

They were free.

END


End file.
